1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus which is mounted on an earth traversing vehicle for the purpose of manipulating a tray which has a crop disposed thereon to overcome the deleterious effects of moisture and, more particularly, to such an apparatus which is also operable to dispense a fluid such as a chemical solution or otherwise, to the bottom surface of a tray for the purpose of inhibiting the growth of undesirable organisms which grow on top of and underneath the tray after the tray and the crop have been exposed to moisture such as rainfall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The harvesting of agricultural crops, as should be understood, is a labor intensive operation. In particular, it has been noted that some row crops, among the most noteworthy, grapes, present especially difficult harvesting problems for farmers. Grape harvesting is particularly difficult because machines have not been developed to perform all the various tasks which are associated with grape harvesting, whereas other apparatuses have been developed to harvest a wide variety of other row crops.
In the instant case, it should be understood that in the production of raisins from grapes, it has been the customary practice of grape vineyardists to pick the grapes by hand and thereafter spread them on trays arranged in alignment longitudinally of the rows. After the grapes have been placed on the trays, they are left for a period of time to be dried by the rays of the sun to produce raisins. In other instances, the grapes are placed on a single tray extending the full length of each row and allowed to dry.
Although the methods that have been discussed above are in common, widespread usage, they have numerous drawbacks. For example, it is frequently the case that while the grapes are being dried on the trays, the weather in the immediate vicinity becomes inclement and the trays and the grapes being dried thereon are exposed to rainfall. It should be apparent in this situation, that the rainwater collects on and about the trays and also tends to seep underneath the trays. As should be appreciated, the presence of water on and underneath the trays establishes an environment which is conducive to the growth of numerous undesirable organisms, particularly fungi, molds and various microorganisms. If this condition is permitted to exist for a substantial period of time, it has been discovered that these undesirable organisms will destroy a portion of the raisin harvest, thus decreasing the effective yield of the crop.
While it has been known in some instances to move the individual trays out of pools of water or for two people to lift some of the individual trays and to move them a very short distance, without disturbing the crop, from their initial places of rest, insofar as the applicant is aware no prior art method or apparatus has existed for effectively dealing with these problems, whether in the case of individual trays or the long continuous trays.
It is therefore the purpose of the subject invention to provide an apparatus which is easily deployed from an earth traversing vehicle and that is operable to manipulate a tray, and particularly a continuous tray on which a crop rests, in such a manner as to overcome moisture problems caused, for example, by any rainwater which has collected on the top surface of the continuous tray and which is capable of dispensing a chemical solution to the bottom surface of a continuous tray. The apparatus is particularly effective in dissipating the destructive effects caused by the growth of numerous microorganisms, fungi and molds which grow in the advantageous damp environment that remains after a rainfall.